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7 healthy vegan protein smoothie recipes

Coffee Cashew and Cacao Nibs Protein Smoothie

I spoiled myself and picked up a bottle of Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee for this smoothie. It was easier than brewing a coffee and waiting for it to cool, plus it's just so darn tasty! To have cold coffee ready to go, you can brew up a cup of coffee the night before and keep it in the fridge -- easy enough to do since you'll have to remember to soak the cashews starting the night before as well. Or, you can just add 2 teaspoons of very finely ground coffee beans to the mix to get the coffee flavor and caffeine.

The kick from caffeine plus the balance of carbs and protein make this a great smoothie for drinking an hour or two before workouts. Of course it also means it's an excellent breakfast smoothie, especially if you add in 1/4 cup rolled oats and 1/4 cup ice for extra fiber to keep you feeling full the entire morning. The crunch from the cacao nibs adds just the perfect amount of texture and flavor to make this feel like a decadent treat from the corner coffee shop -- only so much healthier!

In all, this smoothie offers about 15 grams of protein, coming in small doses from the banana and cacao nibs, but mainly from the cashews and hemp seeds. Adding a scoop of unflavored vegan protein powder would work well with this smoothie if you wanted to up the protein level. You can add anywhere from 17 to 26 grams of protein this way.

Coffee Cashew and Cacao Nibs Protein Smoothie

I spoiled myself and picked up a bottle of Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee for this smoothie. It was easier than brewing a coffee and waiting for it to cool, plus it's just so darn tasty! To have cold coffee ready to go, you can brew up a cup of coffee the night before and keep it in the fridge -- easy enough to do since you'll have to remember to soak the cashews starting the night before as well. Or, you can just add 2 teaspoons of very finely ground coffee beans to the mix to get the coffee flavor and caffeine.

The kick from caffeine plus the balance of carbs and protein make this a great smoothie for drinking an hour or two before workouts. Of course it also means it's an excellent breakfast smoothie, especially if you add in 1/4 cup rolled oats and 1/4 cup ice for extra fiber to keep you feeling full the entire morning. The crunch from the cacao nibs adds just the perfect amount of texture and flavor to make this feel like a decadent treat from the corner coffee shop -- only so much healthier!

In all, this smoothie offers about 15 grams of protein, coming in small doses from the banana and cacao nibs, but mainly from the cashews and hemp seeds. Adding a scoop of unflavored vegan protein powder would work well with this smoothie if you wanted to up the protein level. You can add anywhere from 17 to 26 grams of protein this way.